Compliance
by Kickwarp
Summary: Ratchet tries to get Knock Out to comply with him. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

Knock Out was at his worktable, fiddling with some parts of what suspiciously appeared to be one of Starscream's arms, when Ratchet, the Autobot medic, came in.

Knock Out looked up briefly, and then back down, "Hello, Doc 'Bot. How may I assist you today? Or did you just drop by for a visit?"

Ratchet folded his arms, "I am performing maintenance examinations on Autobots and Decepticons alike, and there is one that is, most likely, going to refuse to cooperate."

Knock Out chuckled, straightening up and turning to face him, "Who? Wheeljack? Have to be careful around Wreckers." he rubbed his helm ruefully, "I should know."

He blinked when Ratchet kept staring fixedly at him, and then put a servo on his chest, "Oh, you mean me. Well, sorry, I'm busy. Plus I'm a medic myself. I can do my own check-ups, thank you very much."

"We both know that you're more of a cosmetic surgeon than a real doctor."

"I didn't know that. I always thought that I was talented."

"Please don't make this hard on yourself, Knock Out. Do you want me to call Ultra Magnus to hold you down?"

Knock Out pointed at the arm, "Can't you see that I'm in the middle of work right now? Go and do something else before you end up on one of _my_ tables."

Ratchet peered over, and asked with a puzzled expression, "Whose arm are you destroying?"

The red medic shrugged innocently, "Starscream said he was having a problem with it…I'm making the problem worse."

"I'll never be able to understand the relationship Starscream has with anyone. Now, will you come along in peace with me before I call Bulkhead, and have him drag you to my Medical Bay?"

Knock Out paused for a moment, looking down at his paint, and then back up, a smirk appearing on his faceplates.

"Would you be willing to…strike a deal with me?"

Willing to do practically anything for Knock Out's compliance, but also being slightly wary, Ratchet narrowed his optics, "What sort of deal do you propose?"

Knock Out gestured to Ratchet, "Your paintjob looks terrible. If you allow me to get rid of those scratches, I'll consider letting you do your job."

Ratchet ran it through his processor for several moments, and sighed, "Fine. But make it quick. I don't want to spend all of my time chasing around after you."

Knock Out grinned as he fetched his buffer, "I never thought this day would come."

* * *

Arcee came walking into Knock Out's makeshift Med-Bay, and stopped in her tracks. Then, crossing her arms, walked forward, "Ratchet?"

Knock Out grinned as he ran the buffer over one of his arms, "We made a deal. The scratches were extremely unflattering."

Ratchet rolled his optics, "It was the best way."

Arcee stifled a giggle, and motioned to the door, "Agent Fowler wanted to speak to you."

"He can wait. I'm only letting Knock Out do this so he complies with me."

Knock Out shrugged, turning the buffer off, "I'm brilliant. Your paint looks fantastic. Almost as good as mine, you could say."

Ratchet pushed off the berth, and stood up, "Come on. Time for your maintenance check-up."

Knock Out turned towards the door, "Did you forget the 'con' in 'consider', Doc 'Bot?" and then quickly ran out, with a laugh, "Catch me if you can!"

Ratchet stood still for a moment, and then took off after him, "You'd better get back here before I make you!"

Arcee watched the door close automatically behind him, and shook her head. 'Cons were never going to change, in any situation.

* * *

_Like it? Hate it? Review!_


	2. Chapter 2

I was inspired to make this a two-shot. Enjoy.

* * *

"Can't catch me!"

"I swear, when I get my servos on you, Knock Out, it's going to change your attitude towards me completely!"

Giggling inanely, the red medic darted around a stack of Energon crates, and called, "Your finish looks absolutely stunning, Doc 'Bot! I'm glad you allowed me to buff it…hehehe!"

"Knock Out, if you don't come out, and cooperate with me this instant, you'll regret ever crossing me!" Ratchet barked, his temper rising dangerously. Knock Out grinned, peeking out from behind the crates, "Why? What will you do to me? Tell me off, perhaps?"

"I'll call Ultra Magnus in here, and he won't be happy in the slightest."

"Oh, come on, that isn't fair. Plus, this is fun. Like the human game, 'tag'."

"You may be enjoying yourself, but I'm trying to do my job."

"Your job is boring."

"You have the same!"

Ratchet slowly inched forward, ready to make an attempt to catch him by surprise.

"Well, I usually don't go through this trouble." Knock Out admitted from behind his safe spot, "I used to put them in stasis, and dragged them to my Med-Bay. Even Megatron. I had to drag Megatron halfway across the Nemesis, and I tell you, it wasn't ea—ah!"

"Got you," Ratchet commented dryly, his servo clamped around Knock Out's arm. The red mech glared up at him, "You sneaky Autobot. But, I must say," he put a finger on his chin, "After getting rid of the marks, your paint looks _amazing_."

Ratchet tugged, "Come along, Knock Out, before I completely lose my patience."

"Wait, you haven't lost your patience yet?" Knock Out's crimson optics began to sparkle, "Then are you just generally cranky _all_ of the time?"

The orange and white Autobot pulled on Knock Out's arm, metal screeching as the red medic refused to move, "Am I going to have to drag you, Knock Out?"

The former 'Con shrugged, "Perhaps."

Ratchet sighed, and put a finger to his comm, "Ultra Magnus, I need some help in the Energon store room."

Knock Out immediately straightened up, "Okay, I'll go with you peacefully. Just don't make him come in here. He doesn't like me."

Ratchet let a grin play around his faceplates, "Too late."

Knock Out narrowed his optics, and without warning, wrenched himself backward, and ran for the door. Cursing under his breath, Ratchet took chase.

Knock Out darted down the corridor, his spark racing. He hadn't had this much fun in eons.

"Knock Out," came Ratchet from over the comm, "Magnus, Wheeljack, and Arcee have been alerted of your…escapade. It's probably best if you stop running."

"I'm surprised at the lengths you'd go to catch me," Knock Out commented, "I thought that you'd just give up."

"I am a medic, and my job is to take care of my team. Just because you were a former Decepticon doesn't mean that doesn't apply to you."

"Oohh, are you getting sentimental, Doc 'Bot?" Knock Out teased, diving around the corner, and making his way to the exit.

"Don't call me Doc 'Bot."

"And if you stop chasing me, we just _might_ have a deal."

Knock Out spied the exit, and grinned. First time being chased by Ratchet, and he'd gotten away.

Without warning, he was hit in the side, and thrown off his pedes, skidding across the metal floor.

"Hey! Watch my finish!" the red mech shouted, as he turned to see Ratchet. He rolled his optics, "How did you get here?"

"I took a shortcut." Ratchet muttered as he pulled Knock Out to his pedes, "And you're coming with me if I have to carry you."

Knock Out chuckled, "Really? You'd resort to carrying me? My, my, you are obsessive, aren't you?"

That did it for Ratchet. He gave him a whack on the helm, placed both servos on Knock Out's chassis and hauled him up, putting the smaller Cybertronian over his shoulder.

"Hey!" the red medic shouted, "I didn't know you were serious! Put me down!"

The Autobot ignored his protests. He'd dealt with more than one unruly patient before, and Knock Out was more bark than bite.

"This is extremely humiliating, Doc 'Bot! Put me down, and I'll cooperate properly with you!"

Ratchet rolled his optics, heading down the hallway with the former 'Con slung over his shoulder, "You were acting like a sparkling, and now you're getting treated like a sparkling. Whose fault is that?"

Knock Out's shrieks and threats soon attracted attention to his predicament. Ratchet was purposely walking slower, and taking the longer route to his Med-Bay. A subtle form of punishment, he thought with a small grin.

Smokescreen popped out in front of the two medics, and his optics lit up as he spied the shouting mech.

"Hey, Knocks," he teased, "Got Ratchet riled up, eh?"

"You shut up!" Knock Out barked, "Or I'll stick you back in that wall where you belong!"

He drummed his servos against Ratchet's back, "This is highly undignified! Put me down, or you'll regret it!"

Smokescreen openly started laughing, his chassis shaking with mirth, "Undignified? Believe me; you're way, way past undignified!"

Ratchet firmly held Knock Out's kicking legs with his right arm, and had his left arm over the red mech's back. He was surprisingly light, even considering his size.

"Don't talk to me, Smokescreen! Or I'll lock you in a room with Arcee, and record the awkwardness that follows!"

"If you ever get out of his Med-Bay!" Smokescreen called encouragingly, ignoring the red medic shaking his fist.

"I never knew you were this blasted strong!" Knock Out grumbled loudly, as he tried to free himself. Ratchet let out a huff, as he turned down the short hallway that contained his Med-Bay, "Don't underestimate a skilled doctor, Knock Out. I may be getting old, but I'm still quite capable of handling my patients."

"I didn't want to be your patient! I'm a medic! I can be my own patient! I've managed before, and I can manage now!" the shorter Cybertronian shrieked, as Ratchet released his legs, and started tapping in the door-code.

"You're officially an Autobot now," he remarked, "Which means I have to the right to do whatever with you, if it medical matters are concerned."

"You can _at least_ put me down!"

The door opened, and Ratchet set Knock Out on his pedes, closing the door, and locking it securely. The red mech scoffed, and turned around, "Fine. Be like that."

But before he could do anything else, Ratchet grabbed his wrist, and secured a stasis cuff around it, "Don't even think about transforming until I'm done with you."

Knock Out stared at it in dismay, as he felt his subroutines fading, and looked up with a glare, "And here I was thinking I had a solid plan in mind! But no! You, with all your knowledge and uncooperative patients, came _prepared_! Blasted medic..."

Ratchet pointed to a med berth, "Sit there while I fetch my equipment."

Knock Out waited until he'd gone across the room, and stalked angrily to it, pushing himself up, muttering inaudible curses.

"Admit it. You're completely obsessed with me." he called over after a moment.

Spying Ratchet's welder, the red medic reached over and grabbed it, turning it over in his servos. Then, holding it up, several thoughts hit his processor like shots from Megatron's fusion cannon. He immediately keeled over, snickering.

He opened a comm link with Soundwave, who was still recovering from his time in the Shadowzone, and messaged him six words.

'**Doc 'Bot, welder, Rule Thirty-Four**'

He received a reply several seconds later.

'**Rule Thirty-Five. Soundwave is working on it. Threatened to cut Soundwave open long time ago. Revenge.**'

"What are you doing over there, Knock Out?" Ratchet called, glancing over at the sniggering mech.

"Oh, nothing," Knock Out replied, through his bouts of laughter, "Just you, the welder, and a few things…"

"I didn't quite catch that last part."

"I'm monologuing! Stop interrupting me!"

oOo

Later on, while Ratchet was alone in his Med-Bay, after a particularly exhausting check-up with Knock Out, he received a file on his computer.

Slightly curious, he opened it up to see a digitally drawn picture of him and…

"For the sake of Primus…"

There was a short message along with it, reading 'Enjoy, Doc 'Bot. Medic to medic, those little fleshies are very good with revenge tactics. I'm starting to grow fond of them.'

Clenching his servos furiously, the Autobot switched to the video of him carrying Knock Out, that Soundwave had recorded quite inconspicuously, and sent it to all of the Autobots in the Base.

"I'm going to enjoy seeing the regret on his faceplates after this gets out."

* * *

_Like it? Hate it? Review!_

* * *

_Side note: Soundwave switched his allegience to the Autobots after learning of the Unicron crazy stuff. That, and he really, really wanted out of the Shadowzone._


End file.
